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Casting of Metals

Dr. Talaat A. El-Benawy 1433/1432

CASTING OVERVIEW
Casting is one of the oldest and best-known manufacturing processes. It consists of pouring a liquid material, usually a metal, into a mold and letting it cool and solidify into the desired shape. The pouring and mold system is illustrated in the figure. The making of gelatin molds is similar to the pouring, cooling, and solidifying operations of metal casting.

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There are four major areas of the casting process

Pattern making This includes the modification of the desired part shape to making: include draft, shrinkage, and machining allowances as well as to provide the gating and risering design. The pattern has the shape of the casting, and it is used to make the cavity in the mold into which the metal is poured. Patterns are made of either wood or metal. Molding and core making This includes the production of the molds and making: cores, the insertion of the cores in the mold, and the closing of the mold. Cores typically are masses that form the internal surfaces of the part, whereas the mold forms the external surface of the part. The use of cores permits the formation of irregularly shaped internal surfaces in castings, which is extremely difficult for the other forming processes. Melting This includes the melting of the metal and the pouring of the molten Melting: metal into the mold cavity. Cooling and solidification The cooling and solidification, which are solidification: determined by the mold material and riser location, affect the material properties and quality of the casting

There are several different types of casting processes. processes. These processes may differ particularly in the type of mold used, the type of pattern, and the type of production. A few of the more common production. casting, casting processes are sand casting, permanent mold casting, investment casting, die casting and continuous casting. casting.

Moist bonding sand is packed around a pattern. pattern. The pattern is removed to create the mold, and molten metal poured into the cavity. Risers supply cavity. necessary molten material during solidification. solidification. The mold is then broken to remove the part

Sand casting sequences

Materials:
Most metals, particularly ferrous and aluminum alloys. Some difficulty encountered alloys. in casting lead, tin and zinc alloys, also refractory alloys, beryllium, titanium and lead, zirconia alloys. alloys.

Process variations:
Green sand casting: the most common and the cheapest. Associated problems casting: cheapest. are that the mold has low strength and high moisture content. content. Dry sand: core boxes are used instead of patterns, and an oven is used to cure sand: the mold. Expensive and time consuming. mold. consuming. Skin-dried sand: the mold is dried to a certain depth. Used in the casting of Skinsand: depth. steels. steels. Patterns: one-piece solid patterns are the cheapest to make; split patterns for Patterns: onemake; moderate quantities; match plate patterns for high volume production. quantities; production. Wooden patterns: for low-volume production only. patterns: lowonly. Metal patterns: for medium to high-volume production. Hard plastics are also patterns: highproduction. being used increasingly. increasingly. Cos worth casting: low pressure filling of mold used for better integrity, accuracy casting: and porosity of casting. Longer production times and higher tooling costs, casting. however. however.

Economic considerations:
Production rates of 1 50/h, but dependent on size. 50/h, size. Lead time typically days, but depending on complexity and size of casting. casting. Material utilization low to moderate. Twenty to fifty per cent of material lost in moderate. runners and risers. risers. Both mold material and runners and risers may be recycled. recycled. Patterns easy to make and set, and reusable. reusable. Pattern material dependent on the number of castings required. required. Easy to change design during production. production. Economical for low production runs of less than 100. Can be used for one-offs and 100. onehigh production volumes depending on degree of automation. automation. Tooling costs low. low. Equipment costs low. low. Direct labor costs high. Can be labor intensive. high. intensive. Finishing costs can be high. Cleaning and fettling required to remove gates and high. risers before secondary processing. Parting lines may also need finishing by hand. processing. hand.

Typical applications:
Engine blocks Manifolds Machine tool bases Pump housings Cylinder heads

Design aspects:
High degree of shape complexity possible. Limited only by the pattern. Loose piece patterns can be used for holes and protrusions. All intersecting surfaces must be filleted: prevents shrinkage cracks and eliminates stress concentrations. Design of gating system for delivery of molten metal into mold cavity important. Placing of parting line important, i.e. avoid placement across critical dimensions. Bosses, undercuts and inserts possible, but at added cost. Steel inserts can be used as heat flow barriers. Cored holes greater than 16 mm. Machining allowances usually in the range 1.5 6 mm. Draft angle ranging 1 5. Minimum section typically 3mm for light alloys, 6mm for ferrous alloys. Sizes ranging 25 g 400 t in weight.

Quality issues:
Molding sand must be carefully conditioned and controlled. Most casting defects can be traced to and rectified by sand content. Casting shrinkage and distortion during cooling governed by shape, especially when one dimension is much larger than the other two. Extensive flat surfaces prone to sand expansion defects. Inspection of castings important. High porosity and inclusion levels common in castings. Defects in castings may be filled with weld material. Castings generally have rough grainy surfaces. Material strength inherently poor. Castings have good bearing and damping properties. If production volumes warrant the cost of a die. Surface detail fair. Surface roughness a function of the materials used in making the mold Not suitable for close specification of tolerances without secondary processing. Allowances of 0.5 2mm should be added for dimensions across the parting line.